Bill, you can definitely put them in, but they likely won't look very good. The cold has been brutal along with the winds. If they are planted properly and mulched in, you should get a good show come spring.

If you are looking for some winter color for a good client, check out Hellebores. They are not at all cheap, but the show they put on in the winter is amazing. They are perennial and will continue to expand the clump year after year. They make an amazing winter ground cover. Depending on your climate, they may completely disappear in the heat of summer or just look very disheveled, but you can cut the evergreen foliage back.

There's a;so the Basics of Turfgrass Management on Tuesday at Rutgers. I attended this class when it was taught by Barbara Bromley and it was excellent. By the end of the day, we had a much better understanding of grass and it's maintenance. The class is now taught by another Rutgers instructor, but I have not attended any of his programs. http://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/at0406ca.html

The ICPI class will definitely be a good investment. The information and standards they profess are a great guideline. If anyone other than those in the industry knew what the ICPI was the certification would be much more meaningful.

I have been involved with all of the Rutgers classes and know you will get some good information from all of them, depending on what your actual skill and knowledge level is and what you want to know. The courses they offer for the certificate for are as a group, are an excellent source of primary information and should be concentrated on before venturing into the more glorified programs. As an example, the knowledge about soils and drainage are a precursor for installing pavers, SRW's, landscaping, and turf or plant maintenance.

The Paver class is a very baisc program that maybe redundant to the more intense and certified ICPI program.

The SRW class will cover the basics of wall and step building.

The Water Feature class will enlighten you to sustainable pond building and pondless features.

Intro to Plant ID is a course anyone that fancies themselves as a landscaper should take and have a much better understanding of how and what grows around us. The instructor in that program is amazing, and you will be given a great deal of information and work in two days. If you can afford it, the Basics of Plants for Landscape use is an intense and mind expanding experience. In the new 5 day format, the information will come fast and vast, but if you are up for the challenge and you really want to understand what plant goes where and why, this is that next step.

The Pruning and Advanced Pruning classes will teach you the proper ways to prune what, when, how and why. They will teach you that gas powered shears or not the first pruning tool you should be reaching for and why, and when they are appropriate. You spend plenty of time outside practicing your new knowledge.

The Principles of Landscape Design is taught by two excellent, knowledgeable and practical instructors. And yes, they are artistic and talented as well. This course will give you the basic theory with flair and style.

The Landscape Lighting class is taught by the owner of Cast lighting and will give you the basics of installing lighting using a hub system and some basic design, marketing and selling information.

The main reason I will probably not take the Basics of plant for landscape use is because the first day overlaps with the last day of the ICPI course (the only one in NJ). I did not want to miss the first day of an expensive and fast pace class.

I think I will def. skip on the paver class at Rutgers. Like I said I have knowledge and have installed a handful of successful patios/walls, but just wanted to be more "educated."

I would like to possibly take the drainage class if they reschedule it for later. What is the name of the specific soil class you said would be a good precursor for me.. "soil and plant relationships?"

I'm looking forward to taking the Pland ID and pruning class. I know all the basic plants many central NJ landscapers use, but want to much more confident on estimates. Often times at my maintenance accounts, I am not sure when to trim some plants and it's embarassing.

Chris, these classes should give you that information. Yes, the soil and plant relationships course is a good one and the coordinating instructor in that program is entertaining, knowledgeable and passionate about his work & education. iF YOU WOULD LIKE ANYMORE DETAILED INFORMATION, email me via my website or when you reach the required posats, PM me.

Chris in Newton, it's kinda of slow around here right now, but it is a week before Christmas. I am headed out to interview a new potential client that has issue that can be worked on now, so things are looking up.

Chris, these classes should give you that information. Yes, the soil and plant relationships course is a good one and the coordinating instructor in that program is entertaining, knowledgeable and passionate about his work & education. iF YOU WOULD LIKE ANYMORE DETAILED INFORMATION, email me via my website or when you reach the required posats, PM me.

Chris in Newton, it's kinda of slow around here right now, but it is a week before Christmas. I am headed out to interview a new potential client that has issue that can be worked on now, so things are looking up.

Kirk

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Im glad things are looking up for you Kirk can't complain during the winter time that's for sure